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The GaGnaire

TwisT

PhotograPhy by Cara tomPkins

Forever pushing culinary boundaries, Pierre Gagnaire’s Twist restaurant, in the beating heart of the Las Vegas Strip at the Mandarin Oriental hotel, is

bold and eccentric, writes Sophie Cater

T ill Rabus is flying a powerful flag for emerging artists who portray the world we live in. His work is somewhat of an oxymoron; painting still-lives, landscapes and nudes with precision and hyperrealism, his works

are stark representations of our modern world, while his compositional manipulations echo surrealist values. “However, it seems like I am too down-to-earth to be surrealist,” Till explains. “I don’t want to talk about my dreams or imaginary worlds. What interests me is being able to manipulate objects and putting them in a situation to create shapes and peculiar atmospheres.” Till has a penchant for eradicating any human presence and suggesting that the objects that he portrays are left behind by human consumption.

Growing up in Switzerland, near Neuchâtel, Till discovered his passion for art at an exhibition by American artist Bruce Nauman in Zurich. “I felt very intrigued by it,” he says. “I think from that day on, I started to become

Swiss artist Till Rabus’ hyperrealist paintings of everyday objects come with a surrealist twist, Sophie Cater writes

Fictional reality

14

interested in contemporary art and would travel around to visit exhibitions in museums, art galleries and biennales.” Specialising in engraving, Till worked in a watch factory before working for an educative rainforest association in Brazil. Upon his return to Switzerland, the young artist came into fruition.

While being influenced by Swiss painters, sculptors and visual artists like Fischli/Weiss, Urs Fischer, Roman Signer and Christoph Büchel, Till also draws on the work of international artists like Paul McCarthy and Mike Kelley, the Chapman brothers, Erwin Wurm and Sarah Lucas. Similarly depicting humorous, ironic and sometimes shocking subjects, Till addresses the topics of waste, sex, life and death in his paintings by depicting landscapes, nudes and still lives that he assembles and paints using acrylic and oil paint. “We are invaded by objects, waste, adverts and photos on the internet. I sort [through] the waste, I recycle [it] and from that material I try to create work that is out of the ordinary.” Using hyperrealist techniques, Till’s work »

arT

A LittLe Off Centre

PhotograPhy by Jean Cazals

Headstrong and resolutely against being pigeonholed, Isaac McHale is leading London’s exciting wave of young

chefs at The Clove Club, Sophie Cater writes

Penang Island is the ideal destination for every kind of hedonistic traveller, with its spectacular sceneries, a history like no other, world-renowned cuisine

and culturally diverse capital city George Town, Sophie Cater writes

The island of cultural

colours

The GaGnaire

TwisT

PhotograPhy by Cara tomPkins

Forever pushing culinary boundaries, Pierre Gagnaire’s Twist restaurant, in the beating heart of the Las Vegas Strip at the Mandarin Oriental hotel, is

bold and eccentric, writes Sophie Cater

Twist: “to follow a winding course; an unexpected revelation.” Twist: Pierre Gagnaire’s first break into the American fine-dining scene. And in true Gagnaire style, what’s a more unexpected and extravagant setting to start off his American

dream than in Las Vegas?As the only fine-dining restaurant in the Sin City that

does not lie in a casino, Twist overlooks the hedonistic metropolis from the 23rd floor of the Mandarin Oriental. “We’re in a beautiful hotel with an exceptional view,” Pierre tells me. His eyes are illuminated and his hands are flying with excitement and, despite the occasional yawn (and polite apology), he is utterly enthused by this project.

Opening in 2009, Pierre first brought Pascal Sanchez over from his two-Michelin-star London restaurant Sketch to become Twist’s first chef de cuisine. Today, Frédéric Don—also from Sketch—heads up the restaurant kitchen, where he recreates Pierre’s French-based cuisine.

Compared to his other restaurants, “it tells more of a simple and framed story,” he explains. Rather than focusing on haute cuisine, Twist is a more casual affair. The aim is

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Pierre GaGnaire

not to show off with over-the-top cuisine, but rather to provide an intimate, beautiful and elegant haven where people can escape the hubbub of Las Vegas to enjoy quality food. “We are lucky enough to have a small operation with 100-120 covers, which allows for quality food,” says Pierre, explaining that it’s not haute cuisine, nor is it casual dining, but is something that weaves both together in a culinary middle ground.

Modest, but aware of his strengths, Pierre describes his cuisine as “honest and sincere; it’s not a matter of creating a collage of things that I see and collect, it’s really a culinary story that I have been telling for many years. And the length of time that it has lasted proves that it is really sincere.”

Pierre’s cooking places its roots in traditional French cuisine. However, with various layers of inspired creativity and modern techniques, his dishes transform into symbols of contemporary ideas and refined masterpieces. Over the last 10 years, he has worked with his long-standing friend and molecular advisor, Hervé This. Analyzing traditional culinary concepts, chemist Hervé develops the molecular side of Pierre’s cuisine, striving to break up traditions and

this PagE reflecting the mandarin oriental’s clean and stylish design, twist has contemporary features bursting with bright colors.

routines. Despite confessing that he is a bad student of molecular cuisine, Pierre explains that it is a vital part of his culinary story, which seems to be forever evolving.

As a young man, Pierre embarked on his culinary path at Paul Bocuse’s restaurant in 1965. The experience had such an impact on him that— enamored by the world of the culinary arts—he enrolled in an apprenticeship at restaurant Juliette in Lyon in 1966. Two years later, he took his first role as a commis chef in restaurant Tante Alice, also in Lyon.

Since, Pierre has become one of the world’s most acclaimed chefs. He holds three Michelin stars at his eponymous Paris-based restaurant, and has a total of thirteen stars internationally. He has conquered bankruptcy, which was declared in 1996, lost awards and regained them, he has set sail for a mammoth amount of projects, while forever criss-crossing the world, visiting his worldwide restaurants and developing his menus. His unflappable abundance of energy is astounding.

Taking a literal twist, Pierre has broken into the North American market to critical acclaim. “Like all my projects, I do not choose the locations. They come to me and I say yes

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Pierre GaGnaire

or no,” Pierre reveals. “Before opening Twist, I was thinking about opening a steakhouse, but Twist is not a steakhouse. It’s a true culinary restaurant.”

So, how has Pierre integrated his modern French cuisine into Las Vegas’ culinary scene, where all of the city’s fine dining restaurants and casinos have an unspoken mutual relationship? He hasn’t: instead, Pierre has focused his food on the city’s love of meat, and aims to be “part of the city experience” rather than a destination restaurant. “We’re not appealing to the US market; we’re appealing to the Las Vegas market,” he explains. “They are unrelated. Las Vegas is meat obsessed. It’s about being quick and efficient; it’s not an affectionate place.”

“The dishes are creative, but not complicated,” Pierre says. The seasonal menu features dishes that may be expected on a Gagnaire menu, with highlights including langoustine, foie gras and sea urchin. However, the menu also includes dishes that are geared towards the American palate, including Wagyu beef, venison, and a variety of steaks. Each dish works with uncomplicated ingredients and adds twists of creative flavors and techniques.

this PagE twist finds a happy medium between fine and casual dining.

“It’s a culinary story that I have been telling for many years. And the length of time that it has lasted proves

that it is really sincere.”

At Twist, Pierre is in the hands of the mighty Mandarin Oriental group, with whom he also works at his two-Michelin-star Hong Kong restaurant, Pierre. “They are bound to the idea of quality,” he sings their praises, while letting slip that he would be delighted to do more with them. “I think that more than others, the Mandarin Oriental is a société d’excellence and has a poignant culinary stamp.”

With 11 restaurants to juggle around the world, Pierre ensures that they are to his standard by being very personally involved in all the projects and people. “I find honor in having great relationships with all my chefs. Consequently we manage to have a very high standard… I consider my employees to be my children. We are one family.”

Although Pierre first embarked on opening his own restaurants as a soloist, he now observes his projects holistically, swooping in when necessary. “I was the conductor and the stage director at the same time. Today, I am able to step back and explain what I want in a clearer way. I have been able to be part of the whole story and construct it from A to Z. I have become the actor.” This step back has allowed him to gain perspective on his projects and

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delegate to his team of assiduous chefs. “They come to see me and with their attitude they give me the desire to work with them. They work with me, and I constantly try to give them something. It’s an intellectual exchange. People are very loyal to me.”

Heralded for his creative brilliance, Pierre surrounds himself with eccentric and passionate people and inventive inspiration. At Sketch, for example, he works with artistic restaurateur Mourad Mazouz, who has become a close friend and an advisor. “We have worked together for 11 years now and we’ve never had an argument. We get on with our own work, respecting each other, and it works.” Mourad develops the ever-changing artist exhibition and creative side of Sketch. Pierre is to showcase his surrealist cuisine at Sketch in an upcoming book with food photographer Jean Cazals. The ever-changing creativity and innovation that occurs at his London-based restaurant, Sketch, will be made permanent.

At the age of 64 and having successfully stormed the American scene as a self-confessed actor in a creative culinary film, I wonder what Pierre’s next twist will be.

this PagE Chef de cuisine Pascal sanchez replicates Pierre’s cuisine at twist.

The sea01 // 02RoasTed TomaTo “pRovencal”

seasonal ice cReam TRio03 // 04heeRing cheRRy paRfaiT

Pierre’s FOUR Dishes

Scale28%

scan this code for Pierre gagnaire’s recipes or go to www.four-magazine.com/chefs/pierre-gagnaire

Pierre GaGnaire

dish 1 the sea

Pierre GaGnaire

dish 2 roasted tomato “provencal”

Pierre GaGnaire

dish 3 seasonal ice cream trio

Pierre GaGnaire

dish 4 heering cherry parfait

A LittLe Off Centre

PhotograPhy by Jean Cazals

Headstrong and resolutely against being pigeonholed, Isaac McHale is leading London’s exciting wave of young

chefs at The Clove Club, Sophie Cater writes

A s I walk into what was Shoreditch’s old Town Hall—now The Clove Club—Isaac is certainly staying true to his ethos of not wanting to be pigeonholed: he is standing on top of his pass, one hand on his hip and the

other brandishing a saw. His team is busy working around him and he is staring out of one of the restaurant’s enormous windows. He may be posing for the photo shoot, but for a moment it’s a believable situation. Isaac exudes an ethereal, thoughtful quality that contrasts with absolute passion and resolute determination.

“My culinary identity is the story of my upbringing,” Isaac begins. Born in Scotland’s Orkney Islands, he grew up in Glasgow where his culinary passion began. He became intrigued by the city’s popular Indian cuisine; specifically a dish called chicken pakora—“a Northern Indian Pakistani snack”. Finding out how to cook the pakora kick-started Isaac’s culinary life. “I liked learning and it wasn’t something I knew how to do so I taught myself, read loads of books and went to the local cash-and-carry and learned the Indian names of all the spices. I made pakora and other Indian dishes, and then got into Chinese and South-East Asian [cuisine].” This inquisitive nature still resides with Isaac and is one of the main influences on his cuisine today.

below the Clove Club resides in what was shoreditch’s old town hall.

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IsAAc McHAle

His love of food continued to develop through school and university. Unbeknown to his peers and teachers, he would wander through the school day with a sharp chef ’s knife in his bag, ready for his after-school restaurant jobs. “It was much sharper than all the other chefs’ knives,” he chortles.

Isaac explains that, although there wasn’t a strong sense of national culinary identity in inner city Glasgow in the eighties, while he was growing up, ingredients like lemongrass and limes were becoming increasingly available. By working in kitchens, reading cookbooks, watching TV programmes and making the most of the increasing variety of ingredients, Isaac learnt about the cuisines that were in vogue.

Having completed his first year of food chemistry at university, he took the decision to stop studying and embark on a full-time culinary career in restaurants. His love of Japanese cuisine took him to Sydney, where he planned to gain experience at Tetsuya’s. Instead, he found himself at Marque by Mark Best and among the launching team at Four in Hand. “I had a great time there,” he tells me. “The overall standard of food and overall interest in food was much, much higher than Glasgow.”

After a year, Isaac returned to the UK to begin working with Tom Aikens at his eponymous restaurant, and then »

“I’m just trying to do my thing that reflects my life and my journey.”

« with Brett Graham at The Ledbury, where he spent six years. He also gained experience with René Redzepi at Noma. Isaac remembers: “More than anything else it was [great to see] the way they worked [at Noma], and their attitude to each other and to the food. It changed my perception of what could constitute a dish.”

Carving his own culinary path, he launched the Young Turks, a group comprised of Isaac and James Lowe (owner and head chef of Lyle’s). The duo moved through London’s coolest pop-up kitchens, including Nuno Mendes’ Loft Project and The Ten Bells, becoming more and more popular for their produce-focused cuisine. When I asked Isaac about his experience of the Young Turks, I got the feeling that he was weary of discussing it, testament to quite how much of a buzz it created. “I think both me and James need to talk about going forwards, instead of focusing on what happened [in the past],” he says firmly. “It was fun at the time and it’s important for us to develop our own identities now.”

Moving on, Isaac opened The Clove Club just over two years ago to a ricochet of excitement. But it’s not only London that fell head over heels with his restaurant. “We have a lot of guests recommended by Noma to come here, which is a great honour,” Isaac tells me. “We have a lot of recommendations from around the world.”

above the Clove Club’s bar is adorned with cured hams and hip mixologists.the light-filled restaurant brings touches of nature to the minimal décor.

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IsAAc McHAle

His cuisine is renowned for its high-quality ingredients, which range from the homemade and traditional to the unusual and rare. “I’m just trying to do my thing that reflects my life and my journey,” he says. As a product of his experiences and his love of learning, Isaac’s food is full of flavour combinations that ignite contradictory ideas: they titillate familiar memories and set new ones on fire. “I like to do food which is familiar, which makes sense but is pushed a little off centre. Combinations that make sense: it might be tomato and goat’s cheese, but I might use goat’s cheese granite or an iced goats cheese soup. Or take a turbot with peas and morels that you may see in a three-Michelin-star restaurant in France, and serve it with a cinnamon and curry leaf foam.” What may be perceived as traditional dry cured old spot pork is paired with south Indian spices, including lemongrass and kaffir lime leaf. However, some of Isaac’s dishes remain true to what is deemed as ‘traditional’: blood pudding, Braeburn apple and chicory relish. “I’m not trying to fit into being ‘modern,’ British or Nordic,” he explains. “I want to keep developing the food here. I think we’re operating at a high level, but there’s a lot to do to make it a lot better.”

Dining in the restaurant involves choosing from a range of set menus: at lunch, a three- or five-course menu or for »

« dinner, a five-course menu or extended menu, with the option of a wine pairing is on offer. “We have such a small kitchen so the set menu allows us to serve people dishes that they might not have chosen if we ran an à la carte menu. It makes for a far more interesting meal for people.” Working with available, fresh ingredients and flavour inspirations, the menu is a mix of new and signature dishes. Isaac’s wonderful Yorkshire suckling pig with south Indian spices (page 60) and the Amalfi lemonade and Sarawak pepper ice cream dessert are near-staples.

Constantly on the lookout for new things to learn, there is a lot that Isaac wants to work on. Not only in terms of his cuisine, but the entire experience. Isaac and his business partners, Daniel Willis and Jonny Smith, took over what used to be Shoreditch Town Hall and transformed it into a space that comprises the restaurant and bar, with high ceilings and white walls that are washed with streaming light from the colossal windows. Dark wood, leather, vintage chairs and hanging hams, sausages and pepper salami. “We were very lucky to find this building, but like everything it has its faults,” Isaac says. “This is a listed building so it’s a long process. We opened with not very much money and we are slowly being able to [develop]. A year and a half in we bought nice cutlery from English silversmith David Mellor,

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IsAAc McHAle

we couldn’t afford curtains or blinds, so hopefully we’ll get them soon. We’re building it into what we want but couldn’t [afford to] do from the start.”

Both the restaurant and bar have a distinctly rustic industrial quality, balancing a fresh and on-trend vibrancy with a homely and relaxed feeling. “We are lucky in that we have a restaurant and a bar,” Isaac says. Having both options opens The Clove Club up to a larger audience and allows the experience to be whatever the guests want. The bar, at the centre of the first room that guests walk into, is adorned with cured hams and bottles. A bow-tie-clad barman shakes cocktails, pulls pints and chats jovially with everyone. The à la carte menu features flavourful dishes like the signature buttermilk fried chicken, sprinkled with pine salt (page 62), or what Isaac considers the best dish on the menu: the raw Orkney scallop with hazelnut, clementine and Wiltshire truffle (page 58).

Admitting that he’d like The Clove Club to be one of the best restaurants in the world—the restaurant is climbing the World’s 50 Best Restaurant list, rising from 87th in 2014 to 55th this year—Isaac is resolute in doing it his way. “To quote the French impressionist painter Pierre Bonnard, ‘I do not wish to belong to any school, I just want to do something that’s personal to myself.’”

Previous Pages Morels; a mini dress of pork.

below smoked kielbasa sausages.

cHIcken’s feet And tArrAgon vInegAr

eMulsIon

scAllops, truffle purÉe,

dAsHI jelly And brown butter dressIng

sucklIng pIg wItH soutH IndIAn spIces

butterMIlk cHIcken In pIne sAlt

scan the code to download isaac Mchale’s recipes or go to four-magazine.com/chefs/isaac-mchale

Penang Island is the ideal destination for every kind of hedonistic traveller, with its spectacular sceneries, a history like no other, world-renowned cuisine

and culturally diverse capital city George Town, Sophie Cater writes

The island of cultural

colours

Between the calm blue Straits of Malacca and Penang’s cloud-topped inland mountains, the high rises and skyscrapers of George Town, Penang’s capital city, interject grand, colonial buildings, ornate mosques, temples and clan

houses. Since UNESCO deemed George Town a World Heritage Site in 2008, the island has been rising as a cultural metropolis, with a polished foodie scene, rich culture and superb architecture.

Standing at the crossroads of Asia’s major civilisations, Penang is a multicultural haven with a complex history. Under Britain’s colonial rule from 1786 to 1957, the island became an immigration hub with people coming from mainland Malaysia, China, India and Europe. Today, the island stands as a centre of trade and a hedonistic magnet for national and international visitors.

While visiting George Town, the coast-front Eastern & Oriental Hotel (E&O) is a perfect resting point. The hotel captures Penang’s diverse heritage and cosmopolitan future, with its colonial architecture that dates back to 1884 and modern luxury amenities. The suites, which either give onto the city or the Strait of Malacca, are spacious with large beds, balconies, stand-alone baths, waterfall showers and round-the-clock butler service.

However, if you fancy a more city-centre stay, the heritage boutique Seven Terraces hotel or the modern and stylish G Hotel Kelawai are ideal. Boasting 18 suites with bespoke décor, the beauty of Seven Terraces lies in the details. Once a row of seven 19th-century Anglo-Chinese terraces, the hotel’s gilded doors, open-air granite courtyard and tessellated walkways are a wink to traditional Chinese design. Contrastingly, G Hotel reflects the modern architecture and design that is prevailing in Penang. The exterior boasts a rainbow-coloured LED façade, while the interior’s chic décor combines bespoke

previous page The spectacular views over penang give onto mainland Malaysia.

above eastern and oriental Hotel embodies penang’s colonial history and modern elegance.

below g Hotel’s rooftop infinity pool, immersed in the island’s nature.

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furniture with contemporary architecture. The choice of 208 rooms range from Deluxe rooms to Premier Suites, all of which have unique features and fantastic views.

Embarking on the first of a never-ending amount of meals in Penang, I headed to E&O’s Sarkies buffet. “We Malaysians like to eat. We are never full,” my tour guide from Discovery Overland Holidays tells me with an expectant smile. What began as a small post-flight bite quickly escalates into an hour-long culinary delight: this became the underlying story of the trip. With a loosened belt, I pressed on into George Town’s World Heritage Site.

From E&O, I wandered around the waterfront and into the capital’s fascinating historical centre. Heading east along the coast became a where’s where of the Penang’s colonial history, passing the whitewashed grandiose Town and City Halls, the Fort Cornwallis, the Queen Victoria »

« Memorial Clock Tower—tilted as a consequence of bombing in WWII—and the Boustead and German merchant houses. Weaving through the city’s perma-traffic jam, the Clan Jetties emerged. Dominated by the most populated Chew Jetty, buzzing with over 200 families and 70 houses, food and bric-a-brac stalls, tourists and traders, each Jetty is occupied by the descendants of Chinese settlers who separated their communities according to their surnames. Today, the property prices are rising at a huge rate because of the jetties’ great city-centre location.

Heading away from the sea and into the charming maze of George Town’s heritage streets, an array of multi-cultural sites pop up at every turn, from St. George’s Church, the first Anglican Church in Southeast Asia, to beautifully adorned mosques and temples, and ancient homes like The Blue Mansion, also known as the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion. Despite the locals wearing their pride for their traditional culture on their sleeves, old buildings are adorned with beautiful graffiti, trendy cafés like The Alley boast western coffees, artsy magazines and quick wi-fi. Modern features pepper the heritage city.

With food forever on my mind, I am offered good news: locals deem five meals a day the norm. It’s no wonder the

above st george’s Church (left) stands at the entrance of george Town’s heritage streets and the Queen victoria Memorial Clock Tower (right) was built in 1897 to celebrate her golden Jubilee.

rigHT The scents from penang’s street markets’ diverse cuisine: from Thai to indian and Chinese flavours.

below Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion shows off why it’s also known as The blue Mansion.

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island has been said to have the finest street food in Asia. George Town is flooded with food stalls that line nearly every street. The steam from Penang assam laksa billows above a crowd’s head, hungry locals crouch on stalls next to the quickest noodle-maker in the city, the smell of nasi kandar curries lingers on a street corner, a food hall buzzes with busy locals and waiters carrying platters of fresh seafood. And I salivate, slurp and chomp with each and every one of them. With Penang’s vibrant mix of cultures, the local cuisine is hard to unify under one umbrella. It is an eclectic mix of Thai, Indian and Chinese flavours, which, when combined offers nyonya cuisine.

In the mornings, from 6-10am, Chowrasta Market (also called the Wet Market), which dates back to the 1800s, displays fresh produce, traditional sweets and goods in the market building and the surrounding roads. Bustling with locals and tourists, it’s recommended to arrive early and eat breakfast with the locals, including laksa, soft-boiled eggs (which aren’t boiled, instead rather raw and gloopy) and a rocket-fuel strong coffee. During the day, George Town’s China Town and Little India dominate the areas around Lebuh Chulia, Lebuh Stewart, Lebuh Campbell and Market Street »

« in the heart of the city. They stand firm to George Town’s reputation as the most diverse city in Malaysia, and offer a spectacular array of food at low prices.

Evenings call for more refined dining, with the options of traditional cuisine or contemporary food. Perut Rumah restaurant, which is adorned with authentic decoration, is well known for its nyonya dishes like kari kapitan chicken curry, jiu hu char vegetable lettuce rolls, or gandum sweet wheat porridge. Alternatively, if you are looking for something more contemporary and chic, head to Seven Terraces’ restaurant, Kebaya, where classic Indo-Chinese dishes are executed with contemporary technique. Or the Macalister Mansion’s Dining Room presents French cuisine with artful execution and modern finesse, and a wonderful bar where you can enjoy more than 300 wines. The G Hotel Kelawai’s rooftop bar, Gravity, offers more of a trendy scene with a spectacular view over the city and a range of cocktails. With such a dynamic and exciting foodie scene, it’s no wonder Penang’s cuisine is gaining exceptional momentum around the world.

Although George Town’s historical potency and hedonistic lifestyle offers a wonderful getaway, the island’s less-populated areas are not to be missed. Penang Hill, for example can be visited for the day from Georgetown. Head up the 833m-high hill by funicular (be warned: the hill is steep and sometimes the ride looks a little hairy, but rest assured, the entire system was renovated in 2010 and is quite fun!). Once you reach the top, you’ll have the opportunity to wander around the hilltop and enjoy the beautiful panorama over the city and the Straits, or to take

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As Penang’s sun sets dramatically, Batu Ferringhi’s market rises and becomes alive with knock-off goods, and the beach bars begin their enthusiastic revering of very loud pop music. As Penang’s second most popular tourist destination, you may have to travel a little further afield (and get your camping hat on) to reach the secluded paradise you may be after.

Time permitting, head north to Penang’s National Park where, at just an hour and a half guided hike through the jungle or a boat ride away, a secluded beach called Pantai Kerachut is home to a turtle sanctuary. While exploring the national park, keep your eyes peeled for the beautiful and diverse wildlife, including monkeys, dolphins, eagles, wild cats and lizards.

Alternatively, head to Penang’s west coast to the beautiful beaches and small fishing communities. Or indulge in the island’s lush Botanic Gardens, butterfly farm, or its huge, well-kempt golf courses.

Penang is certainly on a tourism roll, and you should jump on board before it rolls out of control!

BLAck BookMalaysia Airlines malaysiaairlines.com E&O e-o-hotel.comSeven Terraces seventerraces.comG Hotel Kelawai ghotel.com.my Lonepine Hotel lonepinehotel.comTropical Spice Gardens tropicalspicegarden.com

a nature tour through the dense and wildlife-rich jungle.With the swelteringly dynamic activities over, catch

a private yacht from E&O’s jetty to the island’s popular beachside resort at Batu Ferringhi. Lone Pine Hotel offers a perfect stay with five-star rooms, a wonderful restaurant and a private pool. With a long stretch of soft, white sand, enjoy some water sports or beach walks. The Tropical Spice Garden—just a 10-minute drive away—is worth visiting to learn about how the locals use regional ingredients in their cuisine and medicine. Top it off with a cooking course where you will be taught to create the local dishes you have been indulging in.

above batu Ferringhi’s palm tree-lined beach offers watersports and the calm, warm waters.

below The funicular up to penang Hill is hair-raisingly steep at points.

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T ill Rabus is flying a powerful flag for emerging artists who portray the world we live in. His work is somewhat of an oxymoron; painting still-lives, landscapes and nudes with precision and hyperrealism, his works

are stark representations of our modern world, while his compositional manipulations echo surrealist values. “However, it seems like I am too down-to-earth to be surrealist,” Till explains. “I don’t want to talk about my dreams or imaginary worlds. What interests me is being able to manipulate objects and putting them in a situation to create shapes and peculiar atmospheres.” Till has a penchant for eradicating any human presence and suggesting that the objects that he portrays are left behind by human consumption.

Growing up in Switzerland, near Neuchâtel, Till discovered his passion for art at an exhibition by American artist Bruce Nauman in Zurich. “I felt very intrigued by it,” he says. “I think from that day on, I started to become

Swiss artist Till Rabus’ hyperrealist paintings of everyday objects come with a surrealist twist, Sophie Cater writes

Fictional reality

14

interested in contemporary art and would travel around to visit exhibitions in museums, art galleries and biennales.” Specialising in engraving, Till worked in a watch factory before working for an educative rainforest association in Brazil. Upon his return to Switzerland, the young artist came into fruition.

While being influenced by Swiss painters, sculptors and visual artists like Fischli/Weiss, Urs Fischer, Roman Signer and Christoph Büchel, Till also draws on the work of international artists like Paul McCarthy and Mike Kelley, the Chapman brothers, Erwin Wurm and Sarah Lucas. Similarly depicting humorous, ironic and sometimes shocking subjects, Till addresses the topics of waste, sex, life and death in his paintings by depicting landscapes, nudes and still lives that he assembles and paints using acrylic and oil paint. “We are invaded by objects, waste, adverts and photos on the internet. I sort [through] the waste, I recycle [it] and from that material I try to create work that is out of the ordinary.” Using hyperrealist techniques, Till’s work »

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cloud-peppered blue sky set the background.On the other hand, some of his paintings are more

overtly realist and painted from life. The Arcimburger n°1 painting depicts a McDonald’s meal and references the artist Arcimboldo who painted portraits composed of vegetables and plants; The Tall Blond has a photo-like quality laced with dark humour, showing an abandoned car seat in an ominous forest, which has been dressed up with a wig and coat; Scarecrow n°1 uses recycled objects and rags to make a scary human-like scarecrow. Using acrylic as a base, Till creates layers with oil paint with smooth lines and precise tones, giving the paintings a 3D appearance. The effect leaves you wondering whether it really is a painting.

Today, you can find Till’s work mainly around Europe; in the Aeroplastics contemporary art gallery in Brussels and in the Lange + Pult art gallery in Zurich. In autumn he will be presenting a range of paintings in the showroom of the Michael Haas art gallery in Berlin.

« reflects his perception of the world in all its over-indulgent, eccentric and beautiful detail.

His paintings propose a dichotomy between the surrealist and realist world. Always painting in a hyperrealist way allows him to combine real objects with fictional scenes. His Patchwork Hôtel series depicts bundles of sexualised female limbs. The images are created by collating images of the same model from lads’ magazines on top of the unaltered background. The absurd setting is painted with a hyperrealist style, almost ridiculing the extreme nature of the lads’ magazines and female objectification.

Till finds many of his objects to depict in his paintings by rifling through discarded rubbish. With the aim of depicting a fantastic scene with everyday objects, Camping Lunch n°3 takes a surrealist approach and a Salvador Dali-esque quality; baguettes transform into monsters with features made of gherkins, popcorn, frankfurters, mustard and lettuce, while a splatter of ketchup on a sausage and a takeaway box make up the foreground. A picnic table and

OPENING PAGES Rabus recycles rubbish in The Tall Blond and Scarecrow n°1 to depict humans.

PREvIOUS PAGE Arcimburger n°1 honours Italian artist Arcimboldo’s portraits composed of vegetables and plants.

THIS PAGE Camping Lunch n°3 brings a dull moment to life at a picnic table.

FOUR Magazine | Online

The Noble Sauce KiNgTall, dark and unbelievably talented, Yannick Alléno is a three

Michelin star chef, and a force to be reckoned with. Sophie Cater meets him to discuss what his showering of stars and awards and his Alléno

Empire has culminated in…

Rebel Robuchon

A legend among legends, Joël Robuchon tells Sophie Cater about his ex-traordinary culinary career, his ever evolving new

plans and reveals his rebellious side

FRESH PICKSSophie Cater gives you FOUR of the newest restaurants around the world that

you really should get yourself to…

Rebel Robuchon

A legend among legends, Joël Robuchon tells Sophie Cater about his ex-traordinary culinary career, his ever evolving new

plans and reveals his rebellious side

While I’m tucking into my fourth course of pure delight at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in London, the legend himself appears from around the corner of the counter bar with his trusty brigade of consultants and culinary companions in tow. Small in stature but big in smiles and warmth, Joël Robuchon beams up at me. He is visiting his restaurant to sew the seeds of his ever-developing menu and culinary direction with the team over here. Headed up by executive chef Xavier Boyer,

the restaurant is one of Joël’s twelve Atelier restaurants that are scattered around the world. Our rendezvous isn’t until later, but Joël is making the rounds, passing from table to table, greeting new guests and welcoming returning customers with kisses and laughs.

eight courses of decadence down–including an indulgent conveyor belt of caviar, truffles, black cod, langoustine, quail, champagne and parfaits–I turn away from the herb-covered restaurant wall and cosmopolitan décor, to the first floor. here, the walls are covered entirely in black and white checks and oversized black apples are dotted around. but we don’t stop here: we go up even higher to le Salon de Joël Robuchon bar, which has a terrace onto london’s central skyline and gets going by night. With a bit of quiet upon us, I join his team and sit around Joël and, leaning in we are all ears and eyes on the legend who begins his tale…

In 1968, France was experiencing social uproar, and Joël Robuchon was roaring with it and meeting people who would influence and push him to become the chef he is today. As a young teenager, he had been following his dream of be-coming a catholic priest, studying at a specialised school until his parents could no longer afford the fees. having enjoyed helping the nuns prepare food at school, he decided to plunge into culinary studies. “I was lucky because I worked with a lot of quality chefs who were passionate and allowed me to discover the culinary world.” It was during the whirlwind of the 1968 revolt that he met some friends who would give him a well-needed push to follow his culinary career with passion and love. “They encouraged me to do cooking competitions and inspired me to follow this path. I was lucky enough to have friends who were doing the right thing.”

Working his way up through national competitions, he started working at concorde lafayette, overlooking two to three thousand covers every day with a team of 90 and multiple kitchens. however, Joël’s rebellious side came out to play again: “It was great to learn, but I wanted to do the opposite of what everyone was doing and to have my own restaurant.” he jumped at the opportunity to become the Food and beverage manager at hotel nikko in Paris. This step would lead him to earn 28 Michelin stars over the course of his extensive career and a showering of accolades, including the prestigious Meilleur ouvrier de France in 1976 and chef of the century by Gault Millau in 1989. however, having seen many of his colleagues suffer from stress and health issues, he decided to retire at 50. “I had been [cooking] since I was 15 and I’d never seen the mountain under the snow,” Joël explains.

but as only a dedicated hard worker can experience, he was struck with an epiphany in a moment of retirement heaven. considering the demonic reputations of chefs and their kitchens, Joël and his team of trusty chefs decided to “re-interpret [and combine welcoming] tapas bars and Japanese sushi bars where food is made in front of people”. but there was another string to his revolutionary bow. “back then, all chefs were dressed in white so I wanted the staff to be dressed in black” to blend into the carefully chosen colour scheme of black and

red; “black for night, red for day.” It was a revolutionary idea, which Joël’s Ateliers still revolve around today.

Still pushing the boundaries today at the age of 70, Joël has recently turned his attention to moving his cuisine away from mo-lecular cuisine, which he deems dangerous to the health, and into a new wave of healthy cooking or “wellness cuisine”. he explains, “with food I think we can help [people in ill health] a lot. It’s about focusing on combinations of foods. In each restaurant, I am trying to explore wellness cuisine, especially vegetarian cuisine, with ex-perts. Although I understand that our menus must be right for our clients, I would like to develop some menus that explore the well-ness gastronomy more. It’s something that’s a bit different, which is just as high quality but appeals to a different audience. excellence is always hard, and demands hard work and a lot of understanding.”

hard work is certainly not something that Joël is shy of. earlier this year, he opened 2 restaurants in bordeaux and bangkok, there are plans for new York, Shanghai, Geneva and canada in the near future, while his heart is also set on Mumbai. Although these plans are ideas in the making, there’s one thing you can be sure of about all of them: they’ll all have a streak of the Rebel Robuchon. “If tomorrow someone told me the trend was blue, I would make mine red,” he chuckles. “I don’t follow the fashion.”

The Noble Sauce KiNgTall, dark and unbelievably talented, Yannick Alléno is a three

Michelin star chef, and a force to be reckoned with. Sophie Cater meets him to discuss what his showering of stars and awards and his Alléno

Empire has culminated in…

it was breakfast at The london edition hotel and exuding a serene nobility in amongst the higher ech-elons of london’s society was Yannick alléno. Royalty in amongst the exclusive circle of the world’s greatest chefs, chef alléno has reason to stand tall. he is at the helm of over a dozen restaurants that form le groupe alléno, and bearer of a never-ending stream of accolades, including a culmination of five Michelin stars.

alléno’s name has been popping up in recent culi-nary news, giving us snapshots of him embarking on yet another venture. So far this year he has launched a pop-up in l’orient express, Paris, partnered with champagne giants Moët & chandon to create le & restaurant, launched a book entitled “Sauces : Réfléx-ions d’un cuisinier”, and has received the title of ‘best author & chef ’ by the gourmand awards.

Stretching his skills and time between so many different endeavours, i admit that i expected chef alléno to be the bearer of great bags, encasing his wisdom tiredly. instead, i met a man with an abun-dance of passion, drive and energy, and a serene smile that would be enough to make anybody swoon.

“Since i was eight i wanted to do this job”, chef alléno told me. “i think i was blessed with something.

My parents owned bistros in the outskirts of Paris, so i was brought up in quite a culinary-rich environment.” Following his parents’ path, Yannick holds his two Terroir Parisien restaurants in Paris close to his heart, showcasing his dominance of traditional cuisine on which he bases his illustrious Nouvelle cuisine.

While the likes of two Michelin star 1947, le cheval blanc in courchevel demonstrates his passion for experiential, modern cuisine, his other restaurants vali-date the flexibility of his culinary skills and knowledge. “S.T.a.Y is a restaurant that is inspired by travelling,” he explains while brushing off the irony. “la grande Table Marocaine, at the hotel Royal Manour, is a culmination of 5 years’ work.” aiming for the acknowledgement of Moroccan food as part of the world’s haute cuisine, his three Marrakesh-based restaurants are now part of the grand Tables du Monde thanks to rigorous research and respect for the country’s diverse native cuisines.

Research and respect are at the forefront of Yan-nick’s conceptualisation and the successful fruition of his restaurants. Starting with an idea, he builds teams around a respective theme and cuisine, researching how best to convey what he wants with precision and flair. Describing the process behind 1947, le cheval blanc he tells me that he wanted a restaurant where every-

one’s energy – the guests, the waiters, the sommelier – were present. You enter through a “decompression chamber” to rid yourself of any burden before eating and experiencing the subsequent culinary journey. Pushing the boundaries, he created a meal sequence that was apart from the norm; “we ask the guests to choose their main meal according to what we’ve got in the kitchen and depending on what they like, and then we build the menu with them, pointing them in the right direction. i want to give guests unique tastes and experiences that they’ve never had the opportu-nity to have.”

aiming to delve into traditional ideas and culinary techniques, and manipulate them to create new re-sults, Yannick seems slightly obsessed with one par-ticular topic throughout our meeting: sauces. it is no wonder, considering it has been a point of laborious research for the last two years, culminating in a book dedicated precisely to making extraordinary sauces. enlightened by his findings, he tells me that he thinks that “a sauce is really the only thing that allows ingredients to be united on a plate. Working without sauces has led many to create one-dimensional dish-es with single products.” Yannick is reinventing this monotonous tradition and bringing back the sauce in

all its glory into the modern gastronomic world.“i was brought up with the ideas of doing things

well, with respect for what we had”, Yannick says explaining how he became so embroiled with mak-ing the perfect sauce. Thinking outside the norm, he embarked on a road of temperature-controlled extraction and reduction to bring out unique flavours that would form the basis of his dishes. add a little fermentation, and Yannick has me on the edge of my seat, drooling slightly as he describes one of his recent dishes: “earlier this year we served a three-staged dish with a consommé of corn on a reduced duck extraction, on a bed of duck fat and celery. it was wonderful!”

So what is the redeeming culinary philosophy of a chef who has his fingers in so many exquisite pies? of course. “it’s important to know traditional cuisine, but it’s vital to veer away from it. You need culture to make a dish, but with the work that we’re doing we’re going in the opposite direction. We look at things from a different perspective. We’ve found so much potential, and we’re not even nearly reaching it.” Modesty, i assure you is a sign of brilliant nobility.

richesse saucière effervescence cameline saveurs émotion jus sauce Robert liaison onctuosité réduction vivacité coulis béchamel précision textures émulsions goût béarnaise velouté salinité beurre nantais assemblage Escoffier puissance sauce mère quintessence espagnole intensité dosage mirepoix déclinaison vinaigrette hollandaise concentration soubise verjus émulsion sauce mayonnaise harmonie salsa épices fraîcheur bouquet sel précision sauce La Varenne goût roux patrimoine aromates herbes sauce verte palais équilibre cuisson extraction champ créatif cuisine moderne tomate fermentation La Chapelle fond oxydation arômes dodine Carême composition sapidité assemblage Escoffier puissance sauce mère quintessence espagnole intensité dosage mirepoix déclinaison vinaigrette hollandaise concentration soubise verjus émulsion sauce mayonnaise harmonie salsa épices fraîcheur bouquet sel précision sauce La Varenne goût roux patrimoine aromates herbes sauce verte palais équilibre cuisson extraction champ créatif cuisine moderne tomate fermentation La Chapelle fond oxydation arômes dodine Carême composition sapidité richesse saucière effervescence cameline saveurs émotion jus sauce Robert liaison onctuosité réduction vivacité coulis béchamel précision textures émulsions goût béarnaise velouté salinité beurre nantais harmonie salsa épices fraîcheur bouquet sel précision sauce La Varenne goût roux patrimoine aromates herbes sauce verte palais équilibre cuisson extraction champ créatif cuisine moderne tomate fermentation La Chapelle fond oxydation arômes dodine Carême composition sapidité assemblage Escoffier puissance sauce mère quintessence espagnole intensité dosage mirepoix déclinaison vinaigrette hollandaise concentration soubise verjus émulsion sauce mayonnaise harmonie salsa épices La Chapelle fond oxydation arômes dodine Carême composition sapidité richesse saucière effervescence cameline saveurs émotion jus sauce Robert liaison onctuosité réduction vivacité coulis béchamel précision textures émulsions goût béarnaise velouté salinité beurre nantais harmonie salsa épices fraîcheur bouquet sel précision sauce La Varenne goût roux patrimoine aromates herbes sauce verte palais équilibre cuisson extraction salsa épices fraîcheur bouquet sel précision sauce La Varenne goût roux patrimoine aromates herbes sauce verte palais équilibre cuisson extraction champ créatif cuisine moderne tomate fermentation La Chapelle fond oxydation arômes dodine Carême composition sapidité assemblage Escoffier puissance sauce mère quintessence espagnole intensité dosage mirepoix déclinaison vinaigrette hollandaise concentration soubise verjus émulsion sauce mayonnaise harmonie salsa épices fraîcheur bouquet sel précision sauce La Varenne goût roux patrimoine aromates herbes sauce verte palais équilibre cuisson extraction champ créatif cuisine moderne tomate fermentation La Chapelle fond oxydation arômes dodine Carême composition sapidité richesse saucière effervescence cameline saveurs émotion jus sauce Robert liaison onctuosité réduction vivacité coulis béchamel coulis béchamel précision textures émulsions goût béarnaise velouté salinité beurre nantais assemblage Escoffier puissance sauce mère quintessence espagnole intensité dosage mirepoix déclinaison vinaigrette hollandaise concentration soubise verjus émulsion sauce mayonnaise harmonie salsa épices fraîcheur bouquet sel précision sauce La Varenne goût roux patrimoine aromates herbes sauce verte palais équilibre cuisson extraction champ créatif cuisine moderne tomate fermentation La Chapelle fond oxydation arômes dodine Carême composition sapidité assemblage Escoffier puissance sauce mère quintessence espagnole intensité dosage mirepoix déclinaison vinaigrette hollandaise concentration soubise verjus émulsion sauce mayonnaise harmonie salsa épices fraîcheur bouquet sel précision sauce La Varenne goût roux patrimoine aromates herbes sauce verte palais équilibre cuisson extraction champ créatif cuisine moderne tomate fermentation La Chapelle fond oxydation arômes dodine Carême composition sapidité richesse saucière effervescence cameline saveurs émotion jus sauce Robert liaison onctuosité réduction

YANNICK ALLÉNOVINCENT BRENOT

RÉFL

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richesse saucière effervescence cameline saveurs émotion jus sauce Robert liaison onctuosité réduction vivacité coulis béchamel précision textures émulsions goût béarnaise velouté salinité beurre nantais assemblage Escoffier puissance sauce mère quintessence espagnole intensité dosage mirepoix déclinaison vinaigrette hollandaise concentration soubise verjus émulsion sauce mayonnaise harmonie salsa épices fraîcheur bouquet sel précision sauce La Varenne goût roux patrimoine aromates herbes sauce verte palais équilibre cuisson extraction champ créatif cuisine moderne tomate fermentation La Chapelle fond oxydation arômes dodine Carême composition sapidité assemblage Escoffier puissance sauce mère quintessence espagnole intensité dosage mirepoix déclinaison vinaigrette hollandaise concentration soubise verjus émulsion sauce mayonnaise harmonie salsa épices fraîcheur bouquet sel précision sauce La Varenne goût roux patrimoine aromates herbes sauce verte palais équilibre cuisson extraction champ créatif cuisine moderne tomate fermentation La Chapelle fond oxydation arômes dodine Carême composition sapidité richesse saucière effervescence cameline saveurs émotion jus sauce Robert liaison onctuosité réduction vivacité coulis béchamel précision textures émulsions goût béarnaise velouté salinité beurre nantais harmonie salsa épices fraîcheur bouquet sel précision sauce La Varenne goût roux patrimoine aromates herbes sauce verte palais équilibre cuisson extraction champ créatif cuisine moderne tomate fermentation La Chapelle fond oxydation arômes dodine Carême composition sapidité assemblage Escoffier puissance sauce mère quintessence espagnole intensité dosage mirepoix déclinaison vinaigrette hollandaise concentration soubise verjus émulsion sauce mayonnaise harmonie salsa épices La Chapelle fond oxydation arômes dodine Carême composition sapidité richesse saucière effervescence cameline saveurs émotion jus sauce Robert liaison onctuosité réduction vivacité coulis béchamel précision textures émulsions goût béarnaise velouté salinité beurre nantais harmonie salsa épices fraîcheur bouquet sel précision sauce La Varenne goût roux patrimoine aromates herbes sauce verte palais équilibre cuisson extraction salsa épices fraîcheur bouquet sel précision sauce La Varenne goût roux patrimoine aromates herbes sauce verte palais équilibre cuisson extraction champ créatif cuisine moderne tomate fermentation La Chapelle fond oxydation arômes dodine Carême composition sapidité assemblage Escoffier puissance sauce mère quintessence espagnole intensité dosage mirepoix déclinaison vinaigrette hollandaise concentration soubise verjus émulsion sauce mayonnaise harmonie salsa épices fraîcheur bouquet sel précision sauce La Varenne goût roux patrimoine aromates herbes sauce verte palais équilibre cuisson extraction champ créatif cuisine moderne tomate fermentation La Chapelle fond oxydation arômes dodine Carême composition sapidité richesse saucière effervescence cameline saveurs émotion jus sauce Robert liaison onctuosité réduction vivacité coulis béchamel coulis béchamel précision textures émulsions goût béarnaise velouté salinité beurre nantais assemblage Escoffier puissance sauce mère quintessence espagnole intensité dosage mirepoix déclinaison vinaigrette hollandaise concentration soubise verjus émulsion sauce mayonnaise harmonie salsa épices fraîcheur bouquet sel précision sauce La Varenne goût roux patrimoine aromates herbes sauce verte palais équilibre cuisson extraction champ créatif cuisine moderne tomate fermentation La Chapelle fond oxydation arômes dodine Carême composition sapidité assemblage Escoffier puissance sauce mère quintessence espagnole intensité dosage mirepoix déclinaison vinaigrette hollandaise concentration soubise verjus émulsion sauce mayonnaise harmonie salsa épices fraîcheur bouquet sel précision sauce La Varenne goût roux patrimoine aromates herbes sauce verte palais équilibre cuisson extraction champ créatif cuisine moderne tomate fermentation La Chapelle fond oxydation arômes dodine Carême composition sapidité richesse saucière effervescence cameline saveurs émotion jus sauce Robert liaison onctuosité réduction

Mêlant humour et érudition, ce récit fourmille d’anecdotes savoureuses sur l’histoire saucière française.

Il forme un plaidoyer contre la disparition des grandes sauces, éradiquées de nos assiettes pour avoir perdu le procès en hérésie diététique qui leur fut intenté durant le seconde moitié du siècle dernier.

Yannick Alléno lève le voile sur les nouvelles techniques qui permettent de créer des sauces comme on assemble des grands crus. Ces nouvelles sauces sont au cœur de sa cuisine moderne.

D’hier à demain, le lecteur est convié à un passion-nant voyage au cœur de l’ADN de notre cuisine.

YANNICK ALLÉNOVINCENT BRENOT

12  €prix ttc

RÉFLEXIONS D’UN CUISINIER

RÉFLEXIONS D’UN CUISINIER

21-7776-2ISBN : 978-2-01-238769-0

9782012387690

V-2014

Per Se | Thomas Keller What? New York-based Per Se restau-rant is the culmination of 10 years of culinary excel-lence. The attention to detail not only sweeps across the understated menu, but also throughout the spot-less service and décor. Signature dishes pepper the nine-course Tasting Menu and à la carte menu, offer-ing a combination of American and French cuisine.

Who? Michelin maestro and Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux Thomas Keller is at the helm of Per Se’s cuisine. With a plethora of awards to his name, Chef Keller stands tall amongst others as an internationally renowned master of classic, yet modern and innovative cuisine.

Where? 10 Columbus Cir #4, New York, NY 10019, United States | perseny.com

Steirereck Restaurant | Heinz Reitbauer What? Serving modern Austrian cuisine, Streirereck is considered the best restaurant in Vienna. Passionate about featuring the best products, the menu features classic dishes with a contemporary twist. With an extensive wine list, the restaurant caters for every taste.

Who? Presiding over Steirereck, is Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux Heinz Reitbauer. Describing his cuisine, Chef Reitbauer says that it is “a contemporary reinter-pretation of Austrian cuisine, which is very much shaped by products and season”.

Where? Am Heumarkt 2A/im Stadtpark, A-1030 Vienna, Austria | steirereck.at

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Sushi Shikon | Yoshiharu Kakinuma What? Every day, Sushi Shikon has the freshest ingredients flown from Tokyo. The res-taurant, which closely recreates the standards of its Tokyo-based sister restaurant, offers an intimate atmosphere, where up to eight guests can watch sushi masters craft each dish in front of their eyes. Complemented by a wonderful sake and wine list, Sushi Shikon offers a quintessential Ginza sushi experience.

Who? Yoshiharu Kakinuma is hailed as one of the best sushi chefs in the world. Having worked un-der Masahiro Yoshitake – owner of Sushi Shikon – Chef Kakinuma is illustriously the Hong Kong’s first Japanese three Michelin star chef.

Where? The Mercer Hotel, 29 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong | sushi-shikon.com

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#7 La Vie Restaurant | Thomas Bühner What? Culinary creativity reigns strong at La Vie. Local, fresh ingredients dictate the menus, keeping produce at the forefront of each dish and combining it with creativity, craftsmanship and sophistication. Rendering the cuisine avant-garde, Chef Thomas Bühner is at the helm of each of the restaurant’s three Michelin stars.

Who? Thomas Bühner, Grand Chef Relais & Châ-teaux, has worked hard to ensure his cuisine em-braces the product. His flavours are extremely clean, he intensifies the flavours that are already there. The menus presented in La Vie are not just a collection of different meals, but a symphony.

Where? Krahnstraße 1, 49074 Osnabrück, Germa-ny | restaurant-lavie.de

Fäviken | Magnus NilssonWhat? Sitting in the barren north Swed-

ish mountains of Jämtland, Fäviken follows seasons and traditions with the utmost respect. Harvest-ing crops from the restaurant’s land, the kitchen prepares dishes using traditional Nordic methods and contemporary research. Dried, pickled, salted and boiled preserves are stored for the dark winter months, and the hunting and gathering starts again in the spring and summer months.

Who? Magnus Nilsson is a leader in the new wave of the Nordic food movement, combining techni-cal excellence, bold flavours and locally sourced ingredients. Adapting to the sometimes-hostile weather in Sweden, chef Nilsson created the menu at Fäviken taking inspiration from Nordic culinary traditions, with the likes of aged meat, buried fish and eight month old vegetables.

Where? Fäviken 216, 830 05 Järpen, Sweden | faviken.com

Il Mosaico | Nino di CostanzoWhat? Using the best raw ingredients, Il

Mosaico interprets recipes from its home island of Ischia and the Campania region. Working with tradi-tional Mediterranean cuisine at its heart, Il Mosaico offers a chef ’s table for those who desire full emersion into the gourmet cuisine, and a pool side table in an extraordinary atmosphere.

Who? Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux Nino’s cui-sine is simple and simultaneously refined. A sense of purity and simplicity remains at the heart of Chef ’s ingredients and the methods of preparation, which he employs, allowing him to maintain flavour, colour and substance in all his culinary creations, while turning each one into a masterpiece.

Where? Terme Manzi Hotel & Spa, Piazza Bagni 4, 80074 Casamicciola Terme, Isola d’Ischia, Italia |

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Chef ’s Table at Brooklyn Fare | César Ramirez

What? Changing its tasting menu daily the Chef ’s Table at the Brooklyn Fare is a one of a kind. Acclaimed for the majority of the courses of its Tasting Menus containing both raw and cooked seafood, predominantly shellfish, the Chef ’s Table has an intimate 18 seats, making for a truely unique restaurant. Located in the heart of Brooklyn, it is acclaimed for being the only restaurant in the area with three Michelin stars.

Who? César Ramirez puts his heart and soul into his cuisine, which is brought to each guest and explained personally by him. Taking pride in each part of his cuisine, Chef Ramirez sourc-es his ingredients carefully to ensure each dish is perfect.

Where? 431 W 37th St, New York, NY 10018, United States | brooklynfare.com

Hof Van Cleve Restaurant | Peter Goossens

What? Standing tall in Flemish fine dining, the Hof Van Cleve Restaurant’s roots are reflected through-out its seasonal menu. Both fish and shellfish are heavily featured on the menu at the 3 Michelin star restaurant, while freshness and flavour nudges the memories of its guests to recall the source of their food.

Who? Judging by the sheer quality of Peter Goos-sens’ culinary creations, it comes as no surprise that this Belgium-based chef has been enjoying his craft for over 20 years. Using his Flemish roots along with his passion for local produce, Peter follows the sea-sons to create dishes with subtle flavour combina-tions.

Where? Riemegemstraat 1, 9770 Kruishoutem, Bel-gium | hofvancleve.com

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André | André ChiangWhat? Combining art and philosophy,

André applies self-created ‘octaphilosophy’ to en-sure each dish is unique, pure, fresh and, of course wonderful. Keeping the ingredients simple, the restaurant has been awarded a huge amount of ac-claim for its simple yet poignant cuisine. The wine list is entirely natural and from artisan vineyards, complemented by the 30-seat dining room.

Who? The philosophy of chef André Chiang is simple: to only use the freshest of seasonal pro-duce. This straightforward approach is all part of Chiang’s success, earning him the accolade of “one of the world’s best young chefs,” while Restaurant André has been labelled as one of the ten best worldwide.

Where? 41 Bukit Pasoh Road, Singapore 089855 | restaurantandre.com

Eleven Madison Park | Daniel HummWhat? Eleven Madison Park perfectly

combines the finest classic haute cuisine, with a perfect atmosphere. The multi-course tasting menu focuses on the extraordinary agricultural bounty of New York and on the centuries-old culinary tradi-tions. The restaurant’s dramatically high ceilings and magnificent art deco dining room are the ideal back-drop for the delicious, artful cuisine.

Who? Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux Daniel Humm creates modern, sophisticated French cuisine that emphasises purity, simplicity and seasonal flavours and ingredients. A classicist who embraces contem-porary gastronomy, Daniel’s cooking style is delicate and precise.

Where? 11 Madison Ave, New York 10010 | eleven-madisonpark.comtermemanzihotel.com

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FRESH PICKSSophie Cater gives you FOUR of the newest restaurants around the world

that you really should get yourself to…

NEOLOKAL | TURKEYCombining traditional Turkish cuisine with

contemporary flare, Neolokal’s kitchen is headed up by Maksut Aşkar. Each dish is an ode to the lo-cal produce and ‘mother earth’, considering that ‘remembering the traditions with our perception of taste is the best way to touch the senses in a humble manner’, as Chef Aşkar told FOUR.

Even their large wine cellar pays respect to Ne-olokal’s country; only wines from Turkish winer-ies are stored.

Bankalar Avenue, Karaköy 34420, İstanbul

QUAGLINO’S | LONDONFollowing a full-scale, multi-million pound

renovation, Quaglino’s has reopened with a bang in London’s Mayfair, celebrating its 85th year.

Executive Chef Mickael Weiss complements the modern décor with a contemporary Euro-pean menu. The 240-cover restaurant features a contemporary European menu using the highest quality British ingredients. Dishes fuse traditional European classics with exotic flavours and spices from the extended continent, such as Cheltenham beetroot with goat’s curd, winter leaves, walnuts and dried apricots.

16 Bury Street, London, SW1Y 6AJ

LONG CHIM | SINGAPOREMarina Bay Sands is set to unveil a new chapter

in its world-class dining repertoire with the debut of Long Chim. With the opening of Long Chim, David Thompson will join the cast of celebrity chefs and restaurateurs at Marina Bay Sands (including Daniel Boulud, Mario Batali, Tetsuya Wakuda, and Gordon Ramsay).

Located on Atrium 2 at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands and spanning over 6,500 square feet, the 150-seater restaurant will feature a casual and exclusive dining space with a main dining area and three private dining rooms. The menu will showcase Chef Thompson’s Michelin-starred Thai cuisine, with dishes such as grilled mussels with turmeric and coconut, beef stir fried with holy basil, prawns roasted with vermicelli, green curry of beef with roti and of course, a fine rendition of pat thai.

ZAIKA | LONDONThis November Kensington’s much loved In-

dian restaurant, Zaika, will reopen its doors with a menu of Northern Indian cuisine; a new team with executive chef Sanjay Gour at the helm, and a revived look to the 120 cover restaurant space. Located at 1 Kensington High Street, the reincar-nation of Zaika comes by popular demand and will be a sister restaurant to Tamarind of Mayfair, the first ever Indian restaurant to be awarded with a Michelin star.

The menu at Zaika will feature starters such as Palak-patta Chaat (spinach temp-kora, chickpea salad and lentil doughnut), Samudri Khazana (Amristsari prawn, lime leaf crab cake, spice crusted scallop) and Gosht Milan (Tawa grilled mint lamb cutlet, pulled lamb kurkure, kakori kebab). In addition to the a la carte menu, a hero dish of Sikandri Raan (slow braised lamb leg, browned onion, cashew nut and almond sauce) will be available for pre-order. Serving four to five diners, ordering 48 hours in advance allows time for a lengthy slow cook.

1 Kensington High Street, London, W8 5NP